Amen Hallelujah wins Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park

Amen Hallelujah wins at Gulfstream Park

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Amen Hallelujah took the lead from favored Bickersons entering the stretch to win the $150,000 Davona Dale by 6 1/4 lengths Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux and trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., Amen Hallelujah covered the mile over a fast track in 1:37.16. It was the 3-year-old filly’s first race across a conventional dirt track.

Joanie’s Catch was second, a head in front of Mambo Fever.

Amen Hallelujah broke alertly leaving the gate and raced second just inside Bickersons. Never more than a half-length behind Bickersons along the inside down the backstretch, Amen Hallelujah edged alongside Bickersons around the turn and then poked her neck in front of the favorite entering the stretch.

“It was a good race for her,” Leparoux said. “She ran very nice and easy today, and she went well over the track. (Bickersons) is a nice filly, and my filly went up to her real easy and kept going.”

In a supporting stakes race at Gulfstream, Aurora Lights rallied from sixth to win the $100,000 Sabin Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths over Matchless Orinda. Trained by Eric Coatrieux, Aurora Lights covered the mile in 1:37.79.